With a need for at least two safeties in the 2013 recruiting class, Ohio State got off to a strong start in those efforts as the Buckeyes have flipped Toledo (Ohio) Central Catholic product Jayme Thompson. The 6-foot-2, 184-pound four-star prospect had committed to West Virginia the day after National Signing Day for the 2012 class but was recently offered by Ohio State. Thompson has chosen to take the Buckeyes up on the offer and switch his commitment.

"Just the proximity to home, it's really convenient for my dad to come see me play," said Thompson of his reasoning for the switch. "West Virginia is a great place and they are going to have a lot of success there. They are the pre-season No. 6 team in the nation so I don't look at it like I was leaving a bad place or anything like that, it just really came down to being closer to home and being closer to my dad."

Thompson gave his verbal to the Buckeyes in-person on Saturday when he came down to watch practice, much to the excitement of the coaching staff.

"I enjoyed the visit a lot," he said. "I like Ohio State a lot. It's really nice up there, the facilities are great. Coach (Everett) Withers, my position coach, I ate lunch with him and talked to him about everything. I met with coach Urban Meyer and we talked about where I would fit in and everything like that. Every time coach Withers looked at me (in the meeting) he had a smile on his face. Coach Meyer was really excited and he hugged me and my dad, and everything was really nice."

Thompson re-iterated his fondness for the West Virginia program but that the proximity to home that Ohio State provides was something that he felt was the best situation for him and his family.

"It's really nice that it's going to be convenient for everyone," he said. "I think it's just the best situation for me and my family. I had a great relationship with the West Virginia coaches but when it came down it, Ohio State is only about an hour and a half from home and West Virginia was about five hours."

With a roster of mostly upperclassmen at the safety position, Thompson also saw the chance to compete for early playing time.

"Coach Withers told me that he likes the young guys to come in and learn from the older players (Ohio State will have several senior safeties when Thompson arrives)," he explained. "Coach Meyer told me that I need to be ready to play and compete for a spot and help contribute to the team as soon as I step on campus."

Thompson is Ohio State's seventh verbal commitment in the 2013 class, all of which are ranked four-stars or higher by Rivals.com. Rivals.com also rates Thompson as the No. 146 overall player in the nation.